Lateral
Lateral is a Spanish fast-casual restaurant chain operating roughly 19 owned locations across 7 Spanish cities, serving shareable tapas-style cuisine to urban consumers since 1997. It is a brand within the FoodBox group backed by Bluegem Capital Partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersMadrid, Spain
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Lateral does
Lateral is a Spanish fast-casual restaurant chain founded in Madrid in 1997, operating approximately 19 owned locations across 7 Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, Málaga, Cáceres, and Torrevieja), with 15 of those concentrated in Madrid's premium districts. The company serves a traditional and international tapas-style menu built around shareable individual pinchos and portions at accessible price points (typically €4.20–€22.60 per dish), targeting general consumers seeking social, flexible all-day dining. Lateral is part of the FoodBox restaurant group alongside sister brand Santagloria, with FoodBox backed by private equity firm Bluegem Capital Partners; the combined group reported €86.6 million in H1 2026 revenue with 9.3% year-over-year growth, though Lateral-specific revenue is not separately disclosed. The legal entity is LATERAL IBERIA, S.L., registered in Madrid (NIF: B88300413).
Lateral's revenue is generated through four principal streams: dine-in service at owned locations, takeaway (LTL to GO), home delivery (LTL a CASA) through Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Glovo, and event/catering services. The company also operates a franchise program with investment tiers from €100,000 to €600,000+ and maintains hospitality partnerships such as the INNSiDE by Meliá hotel in Zaragoza for in-room dining via Cheerfy. The technology stack is intentionally lightweight: third-party delivery aggregators, Mailchimp for email marketing, Cheerfy for QR-code ordering, and pedidos.lateral.com for direct online ordering — there is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML capability, and no native mobile app. Brand differentiation is anchored on physical real estate in premium urban corridors, a 28-year operating history, and the ArteLateral art-gastronomy program (running since 2010) that converts restaurants into rotating exhibition spaces for emerging artists, sponsored in part by Mahou and American Express.
In 2026, parent FoodBox announced up to €35 million in investment to open 70 new restaurants across the Lateral and Santagloria brands, signaling an aggressive unit-growth phase. Lateral's go-to-market combines owned restaurants (primary), third-party delivery aggregators, hotel channel partnerships, event catering, and a nascent franchise network. Marketing is multi-channel: organic social on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, email campaigns via Mailchimp, presence at ARCOmadrid art fair since 2014, and quarterly ArteLateral exhibitions that double as community engagement and brand-building events.
Lateral firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Lateral
- Legal name
- LATERAL IBERIA, S.L.
- Website
- https://lateral.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Lateral is a Spanish fast-casual restaurant chain operating roughly 19 owned locations across 7 Spanish cities, serving shareable tapas-style cuisine to urban consumers since 1997. It is a brand within the FoodBox group backed by Bluegem Capital Partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Lateral industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Casual Dining Restaurants
- NAICS
- Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Retail-Eating Places (5812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Regional/Ethnic Specialty Fast Casual (e.g., Indian, Caribbean, African, Eastern European) (THAFABAM)
Keywords
Where Lateral is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madrid
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Lateral business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Restaurant dining: Lateral operates as a restaurant group generating revenue through dine-in services across 19 locations in Spain. The group serves traditional and international dishes designed to be enjoyed in the company of friends, with a varied menu of individual pinchos with portions. Revenue of 86.6 million euros reported for H1 with 9.3% growth.
- Franchise fees: Lateral offers franchise opportunities with investment capacity ranging from €100,000 to €600,000+. The franchise model provides comprehensive support including location selection, staff training, marketing strategies, and operational management.
- Delivery and takeaway: Lateral generates revenue through LTL to GO (takeaway) and LTL a CASA (home delivery) services via third-party platforms including Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Glovo. Also offers QR code ordering and room service for hotel partners.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual tapas/pinchos portions |
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Lateral product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Lateral operates a chain of casual dining restaurants in Spain serving traditional and international cuisine in a tapas/pinchos (small-portions, shareable) format. The group runs 19–20 locations across 7 Spanish cities (predominantly Madrid), supported by takeaway (LTL to GO), home delivery (LTL a CASA) via third-party platforms, in-house event catering, and a franchise program for expansion. Differentiated by premium urban locations, curated décor, and an integrated contemporary art exhibition program (ArteLateral) running since 2010.
Product overview
Lateral is a Spanish restaurant group operating 20 locations across Spain, offering an innovative restaurant model that combines traditional and international cuisine with experiential elements. The company provides dine-in restaurant services featuring shared plates and pinchos, take-away (LTL to GO), home delivery through third-party platforms (LTL a CASA via Deliveroo/Uber Eats/Glovo), event catering services, and an art exhibition program (ArteLateral). The portfolio operates under a unified brand experience focused on quality locations, curated decoration, and cultural offerings including music, art exhibitions, and DJ sessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Lateral Restaurant (Dine-In)
- LTL to GO (Take-Away)
- LTL a CASA (Home Delivery)
- Event Services and Catering
- Lateral Franchise Program
Companies that use Lateral
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Lateral technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Lateral partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and major.
- Complutense University of MadridminorUniversity partnership for the 6th edition of the ArteLateral art award, showcasing student and emerging artist works in restaurant spaces.
- INNSiDE by MeliámajorHotel partnership in Zaragoza where Lateral operates the restaurant and rooftop venue located at INNSiDE by Meliá Zaragoza. Includes room service for hotel guests and exclusive access to the 11th floor rooftop with panoramic city views.
- MahouminorBeer brand supporting the ArteLateral art patronage program and Open Studio art competition, providing grants of €1,500 gross each for four artistic prizes.
- American ExpressminorCard brand supporting the ArteLateral art patronage program and Open Studio art competition for emerging artist support.
- DeliveroominorThird-party delivery partnership for LTL a CASA home delivery service from select restaurant locations including Lateral Arturo Soria.
- Uber EatsminorThird-party delivery partnership for LTL a CASA home delivery service from select restaurant locations.
- GlovominorThird-party delivery partnership for LTL a CASA home delivery service from select restaurant locations.
- Solán de CabrasminorWater brand partner for ARCOmadrid events and Espacio Comer gastronomic area designed by architect Andrés Jaque.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Lateral competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Goiko Grill: Spanish fast-casual gourmet burger chain with 70+ locations across Spain. Comparable fast-casual positioning, premium urban locations, and Spanish market scale, though focused on burgers rather than tapas.
- Lizarrán: Spanish pintxos and tapas chain (part of Comess Group) operating franchise locations across Spain. Directly comparable casual dining concept with shareable small plates and similar price points to Lateral.
- The Good Burger (TGB): Spanish fast-casual gourmet burger chain with 200+ locations across Spain. Comparable fast-casual positioning, urban location strategy, and Spanish market scale, though burger-focused rather than tapas.
- 100 Montaditos: Spanish tapas and montaditos chain operating across Spain and internationally, with a similar casual dining, shareable-plates model. Closest direct competitor to Lateral's pinchos/tapas concept and target demographic of social diners.
- Taberna del Volapié: Spanish casual dining chain specializing in traditional tapas and sherry pairings, with locations across Spain. Comparable traditional Spanish cuisine positioning and casual dining atmosphere to Lateral.
- Udon Asian Food: Asian noodle fast-casual chain with 70+ locations across Spain. Comparable fast-casual positioning, premium urban locations, and unit-level scale to Lateral's Spanish casual dining footprint.
- La Mafia se sienta a la mesa: Italian-themed casual dining chain with 40+ locations across Spain offering themed dining experiences. Comparable casual dining concept with experiential branding elements similar to Lateral's ArteLateral positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Pans & Company: Spanish fast-casual sandwich and salad chain with 100+ locations across Spain. Comparable quick-service restaurant positioning, Spanish market presence, and casual urban dining demographic, though sandwich-focused.
- Grupo Vips: Spanish multi-brand restaurant conglomerate operating Vips, Foster's Hollywood, Domino's, and other casual dining brands. Largest casual dining incumbent in Spain and broader competitive context for Lateral's positioning.
- Foster's Hollywood: American-themed casual dining chain with 200+ locations across Spain, part of Grupo Vips. Comparable casual full-service format, premium urban locations, and Spanish market presence, though serving a different cuisine category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Lateral social profiles
Digital presenceLateral financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Lateral leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Lateral funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Lateral M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Lateral
What does Lateral do?
Lateral operates a chain of casual dining restaurants in Spain serving traditional and international cuisine in a tapas/pinchos (small-portions, shareable) format. The group runs 19–20 locations across 7 Spanish cities (predominantly Madrid), supported by takeaway (LTL to GO), home delivery (LTL a CASA) via third-party platforms, in-house event catering, and a franchise program for expansion. Differentiated by premium urban locations, curated décor, and an integrated contemporary art exhibition program (ArteLateral) running since 2010.
Is Lateral a public or private company?
Lateral is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Lateral founded?
Lateral was founded in 1997.
Where is Lateral based?
Lateral is headquartered in Madrid, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does Lateral make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Restaurant dining is the primary driver. The others are franchise fees and delivery and takeaway.
Who are Lateral's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Goiko Grill, Lizarrán, The Good Burger (TGB), 100 Montaditos, Taberna del Volapié, Udon Asian Food and La Mafia se sienta a la mesa. Broad incumbents are Pans & Company, Grupo Vips and Foster's Hollywood.
Does Lateral have an API?
No public API is recorded for Lateral.
What industry is Lateral in?
Lateral's product category is Casual Dining Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFACAB, Casual Dining Restaurants, with a secondary code of THAFABAM, Regional/Ethnic Specialty Fast Casual (e.g., Indian, Caribbean, African, Eastern European). Its NAICS code is 722511 and its SIC code is 5810.